Inking system for printing presses



W. H. GRANGER INKING SYSTEM FUR PRINTING PRESSES Filed July 16, 1929 March 15, 1932.

INVENTOR.

W/QMcA/i 6794/1/65? ATTORNEYS.

ccocwmdca m m Patented Mar. 15, 1932 i I 1,849,143; V

WA LACE Gmma or s'A v Fnh vcrsco', CALIFORNIA m nus sYs'rEM i 03. :iRI 'rING rmssasj Application filed my 1 lssaiseriai no. 373,775.;

My inventionv relates to improvements in inking systems for printing presses, and it. consists in the combinations, constructions. and arrangements hereinafter described andclaimed.

In the standard newspaper printing press,:

it is customary toihavethe'inking'mechanism operated directly from therpressrand to de-' liver substantially. the same quantityot ink 10 Whether thepress is running at a slow speed or at its maXium-speed. i

The principal object of my. invention isto' provide an inkingmecha'nism' in which ink is fed to the ink-distributing drum under a pressure whichis built up by an ll'llLPLlIllp.

that is driven by an independent electric motor. The quantity of ink fed tothe inkdistributing drum is automatically con trolled by a pressure-reducing valve that in turn is actuated by aniotor which is con nected in parallel with asimilarj motor that is used for actuating airheostat. The rheo-' stat is placed in the main line circuit of the press andv controls its speed. The pressurereducing valve automatically opens whenthe.v

press increases its speed, and automatically u lessensxthe supply of ink-as the-press. decreases its speed.

A further object of my invention is topro vide a device of the type described-in which; novel means is used for instantlycutting off the flow of ink to, theink-distributing'drum. assoon as the printingpress is brought to;a-

stop.- The ink is delivered to the drum in-a pulsating stream controlled bya needlevalve,

This pulsation of the fiowof inkpermits the needle valve -to be opened more widely than would be possiblewith a steadYflIldUniform flow of ink. The needle valve features will be the claims;

' panying drawings, in which 7 v Figure 1 is a schematic showing: of the a ii ,vice; v

g e2 is an enlarged sectional view of I ,It is best to show how the valve 11 "is auto-5 will note-log ,40 as quickly when openedwider. if Other objectsand advantages will-appear as-the, specification proceeds, and. the novel particularly pointed out in;

My invention I is illustrated :in I the accom T Figure 3 is-a side elevation o-fthe ink 7v fountain. Z I In carrying out my invention, I provide an. ink-containing tankl that has a supply pipe 2 leading to anink pump .3. andanoverflow V pip'lei 4 leading from the pumpback tothe A motor 5 actuates thepump 3 and sends ink under pressure through a pipe 6 and into a pressure'tank'l. A checkivalve 8 dis] 60- posed in the pipe dand determines the pres snreof the, ink within the tank 7. It should benoted that the inkis filteredasit passes throughthe pipe 2, and for that purpose I showa standard filtergplaced in this pipe; 65. f The ink. passes from -the pressure tank through asecond filter 10, similar to the filter 9, and then past a pressure-reducingvalve 11. This valve is openedandclosed by means of a motor 12 that is operatively connected 0 to the valve 11 by gearing 13. I 1 v3v f The purpose of hevalve 11 "is to control the quantity offink delivered to an inkdis'-; I

tributing drum 14 J/Vhen theprinting press.

is operating at maximum speed, th'evalve =11- V will be wide open. The valve :ispartially closed when theprinting' press sl'ows down. I

In-this way the required amount; of ink is delivered to the ink-distributing; drum re-- gardlessofthespeedofthe press. Thetype of valve shown in the drawings is a- Mason No. 33 reducingvalve. It isobvious that anothertype of reducing valve can beused withi I out departingrfrom the spirit" and scope of the invention.-

matic'ally opened or closed E as the printing, press changes. its speedtrom either fast to slow or vice'versm; Ihaveshownwires 15' s leadingi'rom' arheostat l6 :i'to theprinting 9Q ,press variable speed motor l5;-:Which in turn I is ,-connected.to"tl1e-printing1;ipress .-by.;any

A 1 9 switch arm.18j-is provided in'jthe rheostat, is and this arm -is swungbymeansof a worm 19 that isrotated; by a-inotor20. WThemOtO i .20 is similar tothe motor 12, andis connectedsuitable drive, such;as- .-a%chain,driv e 16 in. parallel therewith.;$*-Aj reversing, switch 7 1 indic'ated'at 21 is used-;forrotating'both motors 12and"20;in;onedirectiolifortheother. ,mq

The rotation of these motors in one direction will move the switch arm 18 over the rheostat 16 for causing the printing press to gradually increase in speed, and will also cause the valve 11 to gradually open for delivering a larger quantity of ink to the printing press. The reversing of the motors 12 and will automatically cut down the speed of the press and will reduce the amount of opening in the valve 11 for causing it to deliver a smaller amount of ink. In this way the amount of ink is automatically controlled with the speed paper.

of the printing press.

The ink passes from the valve 11 to a magnetically-controlled valve 22. The particular type ofvalve shown in the drawings is called a solenoid-operated regulator Mason No. 257. It is obvious that other types of magnetic valves can be used. The solenoid 23 of the valve is connected by wires 24 to the wires 15. A current passing through the wires 15 will also pass through the wires 24 and will openv the valve 22. As soon as the current is shutofl'to the printing press, the solenold 23 will become de-energized and the valve 22' will immediately close, cutting off any further'fiow of ink tothe printing press. The valve 11 will thereafter gradually close. The'starting of the press again into operation will instantly open the valve 22. i The opening of the valve 11 is regulated by the speed of the press in the manner already described.

p The ink flows from the valve 22 through a pipe 25 to branch pipes 26 that communicate with chambers 27' in an ink container 28. A gate valve 29' is disposed in the pipe 25 and control valves .30 are disposed in the branch pipes 28. Referring to 40 Figure 2, itwill be noted that the ink'fiows from the ink container 28' up through a rocker valve 31 past a needle valve 32 and on into an inkejector 33. There is an ejector 33 for eachcolum-n of printing on the news- The rocker valve 31 controls all of the ink ejectors There is a separate needle valve 32 for each ink ejector.

The chambers 27 in the ink container 28 are formed by movable dividing walls 34:. The length of each chamber is equivalent to a sheetof paper one-newspaperpage in width. It is possible to cutoff any one of the chambers from the pipe'25 by means of the valves 30. All of the chambers may be cut off by the gate valve 29; r v

1 The purpose'of'the rocker valve 31 is to cause ink to pulsate through the ink ejector v 3.3. Ihavefoundthat' the pulsation of the ink through-the ink ejector will permit the needle valve 32 to be opened wider than when acontin-uous stream of a uniform quantity of ink-is forced through the ejector.- The wider opening of the valve 32 does away with the clogging of the'ink in the valve.

= The rocker valve 31'is actuated by an arm switch arm 18 is moved to the desired point.

Standard presses have different push buttons for slow and fast, but this structure forms nopart of my invention, and I have therefore not shown such push buttons. valve 11 opens with the movement offthe switch arm 18 and" closes when the: switch arm moves back to neutral position. The

motor. 5 isstartedand" will' deliver ink from V the tank 1' to the pressure tank. 7 and keep the ink within the tank 7 at a predetermined pressure. This ink under pressure is delivered'to the ink-distributingdrum 14 and associate ink rollers '17" in varying quantitiesdepending upon the speed of: the printing press.- As many ink chambers as desired may be turned on or oil. A" stopping of the printing press will close the valve22, and the device is ready for the next operation.

Although Ihaveshown and described one embodiment of my invention, it isto be understood that the same is susceptible of various changes, and I reserve the right to employ such changes as may come within the scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. In combination with a printing press, an electrical circuit: for actuating thesa-me, arh eostat for controlling the circuit, a second electricalci'rcuit for actuating the rheostat, an ink-feeding mechanism for the print ing press, a-valve controlling" the ink-feedmg mechanlsm, and a motor for operating the valve and having its circuit shunted into the second circuit for opening the valve simultaneously with the closing of the rheostat, the opening of the valve'varyi-ng in direct proportion to the length of time the secondarycircuit remains closed.

2. In combination witfh aprint-ing press, an electrical circuit for actuating the same means associated with the circuitfor con The for the ink-feeding mechanism and ane'lectrical circuit for operating the valve associated with the first circuit for instantly closing the valve when the circuit to the pressis broken. v

lQIn combination with an electrically driven printing press, an ink-feeding mechanism having. its outlet at the very top, and an electrically operated m'eans associated with the latter for automatically discontinuing the flow of ink when the electric circuit controlling the press is broken. 7 o

5. An ink-feeding mechanism for an electrically driven printing'press comprising a tank, means for maintaining inktherein under pressure, an ink delivery device, having its outlet at the very top, a conduit connecting the latter with the tank, a valve in said conduit, and electrical means connected with the printing press circuit for operatingthe' valve whereby the flow of ink is controlled and immediately stopped when the circuit controlling the press is broken.

6. An ink-feeding mechanism for a printing press comprising a tank, means for main taining ink therein under pressure, anink delivery device, a conduitconnecting the lat ter with the tank, a valve in said conduit, and

reversible electrical means for operatingthevalve whereby the flow of ink is controlled.

7. An ink-feeding mechanism for a printing press comprising a tank, an ink delivery device, having its outlet at the very top, coni'olled means for feeding ink from the tank to the delivery device, and means for maintaining ink in the tank under pressure comprising a main supply vessel, a conduit connecting the latter with the tank, a pump in said conduit and an overflow i e connected with the conduit.

8. An ink-feeding mechanism for a printing press'comprising a tank, anink delivery device, having its outlet at the very top, controlled means for feeding ink from the tank to the delivery device and means for maintaining ink in the tank under pressure com-, prising a main supplyvessel, a conduit connecting the latter with the tank, a pump in said conduit, and an overflow pipe connected supply vessel. I p 9. In combination with a printing press,

- when the press is active,

an'ink delivery device, having its outlet at the to the valve, and a circuit electrically connecting the two motors, whereby the flow of ink will be varied in direct proportion to the speed of the press.

' 11. An inking systemvfor printing presses comprising a circuit for a printing press, a rheostat for controlling the circuit, a reversible motor operatively connected to the rheostat, an inking system including a conduit, a

valve disposed in the conduit and designed to be gradually opened and closed, a second reversible motor operatively connected to the cuit, said second valve immediately closing when the circuit to the printing press is 12. An inking system'for printingpresses comprising a circuit for a printing press, a rheostat for controlling the circuit, a reversiblemotor operatively connected to the rh'eostat, an inking system including a conduit, a

valve disposed in the conduit and designed to be gradually opened and closed, a secondv reversible motor operatively connected to the valve, a circuit electrically connecting the two motors, whereby the flow'of ink will be varied in direct proportion to the speed of the press, and a reversing switch for the second circuit. r V

13. In an inking system for aprintingpress, an elongated ink container of substantially the same length as the ink drumof the press,

partitions dividing said container into compartments, means for pumping ink up to the container, the container being disposed above the pumping means, valves for controlling the ink entering each compartment, a plu-' rality of nozzles leading from the top of each' a control valve foreach compartment, and nozzle.

with the conduit leadingbackto the main very top, means for feeding ink theretounder V pressure an oscillating valve for the latter 1 means, and mea-ns for oscillating the valve 10. An inking system'for printing presses I 7 comprising a circuit for a printing press,a' rheostat for controlling the circuit, areversible motor operatively connected to the rheostat, an inking system including a con} duit, a valve disposed in'the conduit and designed to be gradually opened and closed, a

second reversible motor operatively connected 1 WALLACE. GRANGER. 

